HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max review: Flagship hardware, but no Google services
Android Authority's review says the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max is a superb flagship with a top-notch camera, but its lack of Google services undermines its appeal in Western markets.
The phone carries a retail price of €1,149 (about $1,330 USD) and pairs an aluminum frame with Kunlun Glass. The reviewer praised the build quality, comparing the precision to “a master watchmaker,” and noted that the large camera bump is justified by the camera quality. The unit tested was the Orange Ocean model, which drew positive comments for its orange-to-blue gradient.
On paper, the hardware is top-tier. The Kirin 9030S chipset with 12GB of RAM delivered flawless performance, and the 6.9-inch LTPO OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate looked smooth. The phone comes with a 6,000mAh battery.
The main drawback, as expected, is software. In global markets, the Pura 90s Pro Max runs EMUI 16 based on Android, but without native Google apps, the Google Play Store, or Google Wallet. The review noted that unofficial workarounds such as GBox can enable Chrome, YouTube, Gmail, and the Play Store, but they may not work perfectly and require technical tweaking. The device also ships with a lot of bloatware, including HUAWEI’s own alternatives like Petal Search, HUAWEI Wallet, Celia, and AppGallery, some of which do not function in the United States.
The reviewer concluded that the phone is “so good” that it makes them a little sad, as Western users miss out on excellent hardware because of the software situation and lack of availability. The U.S. ban, now in its seventh year, has reduced Huawei’s global market share from 9%–10% to less than 2%, yet the company continues to produce elite-tier devices that are easy to recommend for their hardware but not for their software experience in the West.